Feeding mechanism for sewing machines



Nov. 25, 1924- L. ONDERDONK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 14 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. ONDERDONK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 14,

Nov; 25, 1924. 1,516,574

' L. ONDERDONK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 14 192 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 L. ONDERDONK I FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 14, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 25, i 1,516,574

L. ONDERDONK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 14, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LANSING ONDERDONK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Application filed March 14, 1923.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, LANSING ONDERDONK, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for 'Sewing Machines, of which the following is a description, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in feeding mechanisms for sewing machines, and more particularly to a feeding mechanism located beneath the work support and including a feed dog movable into and out of engagement with the fabric and back and forth while in engagement with the fabric for feeding the same.

An object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism of the above type for a sewing machine wherein the main shaft is mounted in the overhanging arm, and devices are provided which are actuated from the main shaft for imparting movements to the feed dog beneath the work support.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine of the above type with means whereby the throw of the feed dog may be varied by the shifting of the actuating eccentric therefor located on the main shaft and to provide devices for bringing about the shifting of the eccentric.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism of the above type with a. second or auxiliary feed dog which is located in advance of the main feed dog and to which differential feeding movements are imparted from the actuating devices for the main feed dog.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention Figure l is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section showing a machine embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of so much of the feeding mechanism as is located in the region of the stitching mechanism;

Serial No. 624,984.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation showing the feed dogs and the parts immediately associated therewith;

Fig. 4 is a detail showing the manner of supporting and actuating the auxiliary feed dog;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section of a portion of the main shaft and the feed actuating eccentrics carried thereby;

Fig. 7 is a sectional View on the line 77 of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 6, the eccentric strap being omitted, and

Fig. 9 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation showing a slightly modified form of controlling mechanism for the differential feed.

The invention is applied to what- I term an upper rotary shaft type of machine, that is, a machine in which the main op.- erating shaft is mounted in the overhanging arm. The main feeding mechanism includes a main feed dog mounted on a feed bar located beneath the work support, and this main feed bar is moved endwise from the eccentric on the main shaft and the train of devices leading therefrom. The main feed bar is raised and lowered by another eccentric on the main shaft and a train of devices actuated thereby. The ec centric which moves the main feed bar back and forth is shiftable on the main shaft and devices are provided whereby said eccentric may be readily shifted and locked in adjusted positions. This provides for varying the length of the feed stroke. Also associated with the main feed dog from certain aspects of the invention is an auxiliary feed dog which is located in front of the main feed dog. This auxiliary feed dog is raised and lowered by the same mechanism which raises and lowers the main feed dog. Said auxiliary feed dog is moved back and forth by a train of devices actuated from the main feed rocker and so arranged as to impart a differential feeding movement to said auxiliary feed dog.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, I have shown the invention as applied to a sewing machine which includes a work support 1 carrying a standard 2 having an overhanging arm 3. Located in this overhanging arm is a main rotating shaft which is actuated by a suitable belt wheel 5. This main shaft 4 through the usual mechanism imparts a reciprocation to the needle bar 6 which carries the needle 7.

Cooperating with the needle 7' is a horizontally moving looper which is mounted on a shaft 8 (see Fig. 2), and this shaft 8 is oscillated by means of a lever i) and a connecting link 10. The lever 9 is in turn actuated by a link 11 which is actuated by a shaft 12. This shaft 12 is geared to the main shaft as clearly shown in Fig. 1..

Located beneath the work support is a main feed bar 13 on which is mounted a main feed dog 14. This main feed bar 13 is pivoted at 15 to an arm 16 which is fixed to .a shaft 17. The shaft 17 is mounted in suitable bearings beneath the work support and extends to a point underneath the standard 2. Mounted on the main shaft 1 is an eccentric 18. This eccentric 18 operates through an eccentric strap 19 and a crank 20 on the end of the shaft 17 to oscillate said shaft 17 and thus impart a back and forth movement to the feed bar 1 1-.

Located beneath the work support is a second shaft 21 which carries an arm 22 and this arm 22 is provided with a pin 23 working in a block 2% located beneath the feed bar 13 and bearing against the same. A yoke arm 25 secured to the feed bar extends beneath the block. Oscillations of the shaft 21 will raise and lower the block, and thus raise and lower the main feed bar at the forward end thereof and impart up and down movements to the main feed dog. The shaft 21 extends to a point beneath the standard 2 and on the end of said shaft is a crank 26. Mounted on the main shaft 1- is a second eccentric 27. An eccentric strap 28 cooperating therewith is connected to the crank 26 and this affords a means for the oscillation of the shaft 21. It will. thus be seen that the two eccentrics 18 and 27 through trains of devices impart feeding movementsto the main feed dog 11-. and up and down movements to said 'ced dog, moving the same into and out of engagement with the fabric.

In order to provide means whereby the stroke of the feed dog may be varied, l have mountedthe eccentric 18 on a plate The eccentric is formed with an enlarged recess 30 through which the main shaft 1 extends. Rigidly secured to the main shaft 4 is a sleeve 31. Said sleeve has a flanged disk 32 extending therefrom. The plate 29 secured to this flanged disk 32 by means of two holts38 and 31 The belt 33 serves as a pivot bolt for the plate 29. The bolt 3% passes through an elongated opening in said plate and when said bolt is loosened, the plate may be swung about the bolt 33 as a pivot. As this bolt 33 is at one side of the axis of the shaft 4t, it will. readily be seen that any swinging of the plate thercabouts will vary the eccentricity of the eccentric 18. The recess in the eccentric permits of this shifting.

As a means for shifting the eccentric when the bolt 3 1- is loosened, I have provided a lever 35 which has a loose lit on the shaft 1. This lever is provided with a cam slot 3 A screw 3'? is threaded into the plate 29 as shown in Fig. 6 and the head of this screw lies in this cam slot. The lever has an operating part 38 extending beyond the outer edges of the plate 29 where it is readily accessible so that the lever may be swung either one way or the other as desired. The swinging of this lever through the cam slot and the screw 37 will shift the plate carrying the eccentric. The flanged disk 32 is cut away to provide a recess 32 for this lever as clearly shown in Fig. 7. A. tension spring 39 bearing against the lever 35 and the outer edge of the flanged disk 82 holds the lever from too free movements. It will readily be seen that this adjusting lever for varying the position of the eccentric is easily accessible through the cover plate which closes the opening in the upper portion of the overhanging arm.

-F'rom certain aspects of the invention, I have provided an auxiliary feed dog 110. This auxiliary feed dog do is located in front oil the main feed dog 14. The pin forming the pivotal connection between the main feed bar and the rock arm 16 is extended as shown in F 2, and an arm 41 is loosely connected thereto. The auxiliary feed dog is mounted on a vertically disposed feed bar 1-2. Said vertically disposed fee-r bar as is pivoted at 13 to a lug projecting laterally from the block 21. The arm 41 is pivotally coi'inected to a block let which is capable of sliding vertically in a groove in the auxiliary feed bar 42. The auxiliary feed dog 10 is bolted by means of a bolt l5 to this vertical feed bar.

From the above it will be noted that the block 2 1 raises and lowers the main feed dog, it will also raise and lower the vertically disposed auxiliary feed bar carrying the auxiliary feed dog so that both feed dogs will be raised and lowered together and from the sametrain of actuating devices, that is, the shaft- 21 and the devices which oscillate the same. The rocking movements of the arm 16 will swing the upper end of the vertically disposed feed bar back and forth, and the extent of movements imparted to the auxiliary feed bar will depend upon the position of the pivot pin connecting the arm 4:1 to said auxiliary feed bar. If the distance between the connection of this arm and the pivotal point where the auxiliary feed bar is supported on the block 24 is the same as the distance between the center of the shaft 17 and the pivot point 15, then the extent of movements imparted to the auxiliary feed dog will be the same as that imparted to the main feed dog. If, however, the point of connection of the arm ll to the auxiliary feed dog is lowered, then the extent of movements imparted to the auxiliary feed dog will be greater than those imparted to the main feed dog as will be obvious. It will be apparent therefore, that I have provided means whereby the auxiliary feed dog is moved back and forth from the same train of devices which moves the main feed dog back and forth, and at the same time, a differential movement is imparted to said auxiliary feed dog. It will also be noted that when the eccentric is shifted for varying the stroke of the main feed dog, it will likewise vary the stroke of the auxiliary feed dog. \Vhile I have described the auxiliary feed dog and the actuating devices therefor, it will be understood that from certain aspects of the invention, these parts may be omitted, as the eccentric and adjusting means therefor is equally applicable to a single feed dog mechanism as well as to a differential feeding mechanism. It will also be understood that from certain aspects of the invention, the adjusting means for the eccentric may be omitted as other means may be provided for adjusting the throw of the feed dogs.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings, I have shown a slightly modified form of the invention, in that means is provided which can be actuated by the operator without stopping the machine for controlling the feed so that the differential feed dog may be controlled so as to cause the fabric to be gathered to a greater or less extent as desired. To this end I have provided a lever which is pivoted at 51 to a suitable bracket 52 carried by the under face of the work support. This lever 50 is connected by means of a link 46 to the arm ll which actuates an auxiliary feed dog. Said link is pivoted at 4:7 to said arm and is pivoted at 48 to the lever 50. It will readily be seen that the link being positioned substantially vertr cally, will not interfere with the back and forth movements of the arm il which in turn moves the auxiliary feed bar back and forth. At the outer end of the lever 50 there is a flexible member 53 herein shown as a chain which in turn is connected to a treadle 54 carried by a suitable pivot support A spring 56 normally raises the outer end of the lever 50 and the treadle 5st. hen the treadle is depressed, the lever 50 will be moved downwardly, thus drawing down on the link @6 and moving the arm 41 downwardly, thus increasing the movements of the auxiliary feed dog, and when the treadle is released, the spring 56 will liftr the lever and move the arm 41 to its raised position where it will engage a stop 57. It will thus be seen that the throw of the auxiliary feed dog may be readily varied without stopping the machine through manipulating the treadle.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the inventiomwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. A sewing machine comprising a work support, an overhanging arm, a main shaft in said overhanging arm, a feeding mechanism including a feed dog beneath said work support, an eccentric on said main shaft, and devices operated thereby for raising and lowering said feed dog, a second eccentric on said main shaft, devices op erated thereby for moving said feed dog back and forth, a sleeve secured to the main shaft and having a disk flange extending outwardly therefrom, a plate pivotally secured to said flange and carrying said second eccentric, said second eccentric having a recess permitting the same to be shifted laterally of the main shaft, means for locking said plate carrying the eccentric to the flanged disk for holding the eccentric in adjusted positions, and an adjusting lever for shifting the plate on its pivotal connection.

2. A, sewing machine comprising a work support, an overhanging arm, a main shaft in said overhanging arm, a feeding mechanism including a feed dog beneath said work support, an eccentric on said main shaft, and devices operated thereby for raising and lowering said feed dog, a second. eccentric on said main shaft, devices operated thereby for moving said feed dog back and forth, a sleeve secured to the main shaft and having a disk flange extending outwardly therefrom, a plate pivotally secured to said flange and carrying said second eccentric, said second eccentric having a recess permitting the same to be shifted laterally of the main shaft, means for locking said plate carrying the eccentric to the flanged disk for holding the eccentric in adjusted positions, and an adjusting lever for shifting the plate on its pivotal connection, a headed screw secured to said plate, said adjusting lever having a cam slot adapted to engage the headed screw carried by said plate for shifting said plate on its pivotal connection.

A sewing machine comprising a work support, an overhanging arm, a main shaft in said overhanging arm, a feeding mechanism including afeed dog beneath said work support, an eccentric on said main shaft, and devices operated thereby for raising and lowering said feed. dog, a second eccentric on said main shaft, and devices operated thereby for moving said feed dog back and forth, a second feed dog in advance of the first named feed dog, and means operated by the devices actuating the first-named feed dog for raising and lowering said second feed dog and for imparting a differential feeding movement thereto.

A sewing machine con'iprising a work support, an overhanging arm, a main shaft in said overhanging arm, a feeding mechanism including a feed dog beneath said work support, an eccentric on said main shaft, and devices operated thereby for raising and lowering said feed dog, a second eccentric on said main shaft, devices operated thereby for moving said feed dog back and forth, and means for supporting said second eccentric whereby it may be adjusted for varying the throw of the feed dog, a second feed dog in advance of the first-named feed dog, and means operated by the devices actuating the first-named feed dog for raising and lowering said second feed dog and for imparting a differential feeding movement thereto.

5. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines including a work support, an oscillating shaft located beneath the work support, an arm mounted thereon, a feed bar connected to said arm, and a main feed dog carried by said feed bar, a second shaft beneath the work support, an arm carried thereby, a block engaging said feed bar and raised and lowered by said arm for moving said feed dog up and down, an au:-:i.liary feed bar, means for pivotally connecting said auxiliary feed bar to said block, where by said auxiliary feed bar is raised and lowered thereby, an auxiliary feed dog carried by said auxiliary feed bar, a member loosely connected to the arm carried by said first-named oscillating shaft, and having :1 shiftable pivotal connection with the upper end of said auxiliary feed bar for swinging said feed bar to impart feeding movements to the auxiliary feed dog.

6. A feeding mechanism for sewing inn chines including in combination a work support, an oscillating shaft beneath work support, a member movcdbodily vertically thereby, an auxiliary feed bar pivoted atits lower end to said vertically movable member, a feed dog carried by said auxiliary feed bar, a second oscillating shaft, an arm carried thereby, a member pivotally connected to said arm and to the upper end of said auxiliary feed bar for swinging the auxiliary feed bar back and forth.

7. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines including in combination, a work support, an oscillating shaft beneath said work support, a member moved bodily vertically thereby, an auxiliary feed dog pivoted at its lower end to said vertically movable member, a feed dog carried by said auxiliary feed bar, a second oscillating shaft, an arm carried thereby, a member pivotally connected to said arm and to the upper end of said auxiliary feed bar for swingin the auxiliary feed bar back and forth, said connection between the arm and the upper end of the auxiliary feed bar including a sliding block shiftable endwise of the feed bar whereby the throw of the auxiliary feed dog may be varied.

8. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines including a work support, a feed rocker located beneath the work support, a feed bar connected to the feed rocker and movable back and forth thereby, a main feed dog carried by said feed bar, an auxiliary feed bar pivotally supported and movable up and down with the main feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog carried thereby, an arm having a shiftable pivotal connection with the auxiliary feed bar for moving the same back and forth, said arm being pivotally supported by the feed rocker, a lever, a link connecting said lever to said arm, and means controlled by the operator for shifting said lever without stopping the stitching mechanism for Varying the throw of the auxiliary feed dog.

9. A feeding mechanism for sewing 1nachines including a work support, a feed rocker located beneath the work support, a feed bar connected to the feed rocker and movable back and forth thereby, a main feed dog carried by said feed bar, an auxiliary feed bar pivot-ally supported and movable up and down with the main feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog carried thereby, an arm having a shiftable pivotal connection with the feed bar for moving the same back and forth, said arm being pivot-ally supported by the feed rocker, a lever pivotally carried by the work support, a vertical link connecting said arm and said lever, a treadlc connected to the outer end of said lever for shifting the arm, and a spring for normally raising said lever so as to hold the parts with the auxiliary feed dog operating in substz-intial unison with the main feed dog.

10. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines including a work support, a feed rocker located beneath the work support, a feed bar connected to the feed rocker and movable back and forth thereby, a main feed dog carried by said feed bar, an auxiliary feed bar pivotally supported and movable up and down with the main feed bar, an auxiliary feed dog carried thereby, an arm having a shiftable pivotal connection with the feed bar for moving the same back and forth, said arm being pivotally supparts with the auxiliary feed dog operating ported by the feed rocker, a lever pivotally in substantial unison With the main feed carried by the Work support, a vertical link dog, and a stop for limiting the upward l0 connecting said arm and said lever, a movement of said arm.

5 treadle connected to the outer end of said In testimony whereof, I aHiX my signature.

lever for shifting the arm, a spring for normally raising said lever so as to hold the LANSING ONDERDONIQ 

